Santa Monica Beach 3rd Most Polluted On The West Coast: New Report

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica Beach at the pier is the third most polluted beach on the West Coast, according to a new ranking released Wednesday that analyzed data from 700 waterfront areas.

In Heal the Bay's 34th annual Beach Report Card, the environmental nonprofit assigned A-to-F grades to hundreds of beaches from Washington to Baja California, based on levels of bacterial pollution. The organization gave beaches three separate grades for dry conditions in the summer and winter seasons, as well as wet weather conditions.

Santa Monica Beach's current dry grade is an 'F.'

"The City of Santa Monica has wrestled for years with poor water quality at the pier, which is plagued with droppings from roosting birds and urban runoff," Heal the Bay wrote.

The beach has a near-constant presence on the county's list of beaches unsafe for swimming due to elevated bacteria levels.

Overall across the state, water quality declined last year, Heal the Bay said.

"Eighty-nine percent of California beaches were safe to swim at during summer 2023, but we are still seeing water quality impacts from record-breaking storms, urban runoff, and sewage spills," said Tracy Quinn, Heal the Bay's CEO and president. "California's 20th century water infrastructure was not designed to address the challenges faced by climate change in the 21st century. We need to upgrade outdated sewage treatment facilities and prioritize public investment in nature-based, multi-benefit stormwater capture infrastructure."

About 90 percent of beaches in Northern and Southern California earned A and B grades during the busy summer season, according to the report. In Southern California, winter dry grades were far below average, with 70 percent of beaches receiving A and B grades.

"The intense rain events, particularly during the winter, washed more bacteria into the ocean, resulting in lower Winter Dry Grades and fewer Southern California beaches achieving Honor Roll status," the report said.

Locally, Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey was ranked the ninth-most polluted beach on the West Coast. "Mother’s Beach in Los Angeles County might attract families because of its placid waters, but very poor circulation has led to chronic bacterial exceedances. Families beware," Heal the Bay wrote.

Read more about Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card.

Read Heal the Bay's full report or view an interactive map of beach grades here.